Second-ranked Bruins use big runs to overwhelm Razorbacks

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — No. 2 UCLA used two big runs in the second and third quarters, including a 15-0 run midway through the second quarter to speed past the Razorbacks, 81-66, on Sunday afternoon.

Arkansas made a surge in the fourth quarter with a 15-0 run of their own, but it was too little too late. Arkansas had four players in double figures, led by Taliah Scott’s 23 points and Maryam Dauda’s 14. The Hogs broke an eight-game home winning streak in the loss.

After Maryam Dauda won the tip against a 6-7 center, Saylor Poffenbarger got the Hogs on the board first by knocking down a triple. Dauda then got one of her own off a good find from Samara Spencer to help the Hogs start ahead, 6-0. UCLA got on the board with a layup, scoring their first basket over 2.5 minutes into the game, but Scott answered with a layup.

The Bruins then started to roll, going on a 9-0 run, while making four of their next four field goal attempts, as the Hogs trailed 11-8 at the media timeout taken with 4:56 left in the quarter. UCLA continued its run out of the timeout with back-to-back layups to extend its run to an 11-0 one, while Arkansas was held in a scoring drought for 4.5 minutes.

Makayla Daniels snapped that drought with a layup and Poffenbarger followed with one of her own to cut the UCLA lead to three. UCLA outscored the Hogs 5-2 in the final two minutes of the quarter, as the Hogs trailed, 20-14, after the first quarter.

Saylor Poffenbarger (Andy Hodges / HitThatLine.com)

Off a second-chance opportunity thanks to a Dauda rebound, Daniels knocked down a triple to cut the lead to three, but then UCLA went on an 17-2 run to lead, 37-19 at the media timeout taken with 4:59 left in the half. Out of the break, UCLA scored another two-pointer to extend its run to a 19-2 one, but Emrie Ellis knocked down a 3-pointer to drag the Hogs out of the scoring drought that was nearly four minutes long.

Dauda knocked down her second triple of the game and followed with a driving layup to cut the lead to 16. Scott then got fouled and made the first shot but missed the second. Poffenbarger was there for the offensive board and beat the buzzer once again with a triple, as Arkansas trailed 50-33 at the half.

UCLA outscored the Hogs 12-5 in the opening four minutes of the third quarter. Scott made a tough layup and at the media timeout taken with 4:45 left in the quarter, Arkansas trailed, 64-40. Poffenbarger made a driving layup, but then UCLA went on a 6-0 run to lead by 30, 72-42. Scott got fouled and made both free throws to reach double digits in scoring for the ninth straight game. At the end of the quarter, Arkansas trailed, 72-44, trailing by as many as 30.

Scott made two free throws, her sixth and seventh of the game, to begin the scoring in the fourth quarter. Dauda made a layup off a good find from Carly Keats, as Arkansas trailed, 74-48, with 7:27 left in the game. UCLA and Arkansas exchanged 3-pointers, as Scott made back-to-back-to-back triples and was fouled on the second to convert the 4-point play.

Scott helped the Hogs go on a 10-0 run. Arkansas’ run continued, as Daniels made one of two free throws, and Arkansas trailed 77-59 with 4:50 left in the game. Out of the timeout, Arkansas’ run extended to a 15-0 run with a Dauda jumper and two free throws. UCLA broke its 3:34 minute scoring drought with a layup. Arkansas did not score a field goal for the remaining 4:24 of the contest, but the Hogs outscored the Bruins 22-9 in the fourth quarter to drop the game, 81-66.

Hogs Highlights

• Scott logged 23 points behind 3-of-7 shooting from the 3-point line and 8-of-9 from the free throw line. She added two boards in 39 minutes played. Scott has reached double digits in scoring in all nine games this season, while reaching 20+ points in her sixth contest

• Dauda followed with 14 points off 5-of-9 shooting from the field, 2-of-3 from 3-point, along with two boards, two assists, two blocks and one steal. The redshirt sophomore finished over 50 percent from the field for the second time this season

• Poffenbarger finished with 12 points off 5-of-13 shooting from the field with seven boards, one block and one steal. This marks her 19th double-digit scoring game in her Arkansas career

• Daniels logged 10 points, three rebounds, two assists and three steals in 33 minutes. She tied the record for most games played in career with 131

• Keats played a season-high six minutes and Jenna Lawrence led the Hogs in +/- with 10, as the only Hog with a positive +/- with two steals

• Ellis logged three points, one board and two blocks in 11 minutes

• Spencer had three steals

• Arkansas set a season-high 11 steals and forced 22 turnovers while being +10 in the turnover margin having only committed 12

Next Game

Arkansas will stay home for the next two games, as the Hogs are set to host Louisiana Tech on Thursday. The game will be broadcast on SECN+.

Information from Arkansas Communications is included in this story.